(indieWIRE/04.20.01) — Showtime has acquired Henry Bean‘s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, “The Believer.” The movie, which stars Ryan Gosling, will have its North American premiere on the cable network in September. The limited window release on the cable network is expected to precede atheatrical run, according to Peter Hoffman, President of Seven ArtsPictures. Hoffman told indieWIRE yesterday that negotiations are underwaywith Shooting Gallery for a theatrical release later this fall, adding thatanother distribution company is also being considered.

The film will have a theatrical life only after it first airs on Showtime, arep for the cable channel told indieWIRE yesterday. Showtime made the dealwith Fireworks Pictures, which co-financed the movie. Susan Hoffman, also of Seven Arts, co-produced the movie with Christopher Roberts.

“The Believer,” the story of a Jewish Yeshiva student who transforms intothe leader of a Neo-Nazi skinhead leader, provoked strong reactions atSundance where Gosling’s starring role as the film’s lead, Danny Balint, washeralded by audiences and critics alike. Also featured in the film areSummer Phoenix (“The Faculty“), Theresa Russell (“Wild Things“) and Billy Zane.

“We are supremely proud of the picture and are delighted that so many peoplewill have the opportunity to see the film on Showtime,” commented FireworksPictures President Daniel Diamond in a prepared statement.

Peter Hoffman of Seven Arts indicated that the film’s theatrical debut isexpected to incorporate a limited release that begins in Chicago, LosAngeles and New York. [Eugene Hernandez]

>> Code Red Dances with Gatlif’s “Vengo”

(indieWIRE/04.20.01) — Code Red has acquired U.S. rights to “Vengo,” thelatest movie from Gypsy director Tony Gatlif (“Latcho Drom,” “Gadjo Dilo“), and will distribute the film through Cowboy Releasing this fall.Inter-cutting images of the Andalusian plains with intricate shots offlamenco dancers, “Vengo,” which closed last year’s Venice Film Festival,tells the story of a blood feud raging between two families.

“We intend to build on the foundation of the fans of Tony’s past films andfind new audiences for this unique combination of music, dance andpassionate drama,” commented Code Red partner John Vanco in a preparedstatement. “If we can reach out to the audiences who love Carlos Saura‘sgreat dance films with the ‘Buena Vista Social Club‘ crowd, I think we canfind a large, appreciative audience for this wonderful film.”

The movie’s U.S. theatrical premiere will take place on August 31st at TheScreening Room in New York. Code Red recently announced the acquisition ofKiyoshi Kurosawa‘s “Cure,” which they will release this summer. Other Code Red/Cowboy titles include “George Washington” and the upcoming “In the Winter Dark.” [Anthony Kaufman]

>> Godard vs. Shrek; Cannes’ Wide World of Film

(indieWIRE/04.20.01) — Jean-Luc Godard vs. Dreamworks‘ “Shrek” — it’s a match-up one could only find at the Cannes Film Festival. Godard’scompetition entry “Eloge de l’Amour” (“In Praise of Love”) skewers hisnemesis at Dreamworks: one of his new film’s plots concerns two WWIIresistance veterans whose life story Steven Spielberg wants to make into amovie (Godard is well-known for his criticism of Spielberg’s “Schindler’sList“). Who will come out on top: French art film or Hollywood blockbuster?We can only wait and see when the 54th edition of the fest runs May 9-20.

While Godard need not worry too much about the animated “Shrek,” directed bytwo first-timers, several seasoned directors will be hitting the Croisettewith major new works. Fellow New Waver Jacques Rivette (“Va Savoir“), the Coens (“The Man Who Wasn’t There“), David Lynch (“Mulholland Drive“), Mohsen Makhmalbaf (“Kandahar“), Manoel de Oliveira (“I Return Home“), and a handful of Asian masters are set, among them Hou Hsiao-hsien (“Millennium Mambo“),Tsai Ming-liang (“What Time is It There?“), and Japanese director Shohei Imamura (“Lukewarm Water Under the Bridge“) who won the Golden Palm in 1997 for “The Eel.” Challenging such notables is the surprising inclusion ofBosnian first-time feature director Danis Tanovic, with his Yugoslav warfilm, “No Man’s Land.”

More than years past, Americans are well represented across the fests’sections. Notable world premieres in the Un Certain Regard sidebar includeopener Abel Ferrara‘s “R-Xmas,” which is available for U.S. distributionfrom Studio-Canal, Todd Solondz‘ “Storytelling,” starring James Van Der Beek and Heather Matarazzo in a not-for-prime-time high school story (Fine Line), Hal Hartley‘s “No Such Thing” (formerly “Monster”), starring Sarah Polley (United Artists), and Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming‘s digital video debut “The Anniversary Party” (Fine Line), Michel Gondry‘s “Human Nature” (Fine Line) and Roman Coppola “CQ” (United Artists) will premiere out of competition.

In Thursday’s announcement, organizers made special note of a strongJapanese presence at this year’s fest. In addition to Imamura’s competitionslot, Shinji Aoyama (“Eureka“) returns with “Desert Moon,” and “After Life” director Kore-eda Hirokazu will compete with “Distance.” Un Certain Regard will showcase three more Japanese titles, including the latest from prolific auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa, “Kairo.” A special midnight screening of Mamoru Oshii‘s epic “Avalon” is also set, which Miramax recently acquired.

Acquisitions business at this year’s fest should yield some surprises. Withmost North American films already sold, not a single UK feature in theofficial selection, and the possibility of strikes still lurking, domesticdistribs will be looking to accessible foreign fare to fill release slates.Expect Cedric Kahn‘s serial murder suspenser “Roberto Succo” to be onindustry radar — the same for Claire Denis‘ conspiracy drama “TroubleEveryday,” starring Tricia Vessey, Beatrice Dalle, and Vincent Gallo; Catherine Corsini‘s “The Rehearsal,” with Emmanuel Beart; “Ponette” director Jacques Doillon‘s “Carrement a l’Ouest“; and Italy’s recent Best Picture winner “The Son’s Room,” from favorite son Nanni Moretti, who garnered a Cannes Jury Prize and Fine Line release for 1994’s “Caro Diario.”

Special screenings at the fest include three anticipated documentaries:Abbas Kiarostami‘s examination of the AIDS crisis “ABC Africa“; ClaudeLanzmann‘s look at the October 1943 Jewish uprising at the Sobiborconcentration camp; and Martin Scorsese‘s ongoing Italian cinema chronicle.Italy will also be celebrated at Cannes with a special tribute to “BicycleThief” director Vittorio de Sica, who would have turned 100 this year. Aretrospective, “The Golden Age of American Comedy” will also screen and aninternational symposium on the theme “transmitting knowledge and love ofcinema,” will take place on May 16, uniting various members of the filmindustry, along with a special film class given by Wong Kar-wai. [AnthonyKaufman]

(indieWIRE/04.20.01) — The Chicago Latino Film Festival opens tonight(Friday) with Juan Carlos Tabío‘s “Waiting List,” closes with the Chilean hit “Coronación” (Coronation), and features a special evening with guest honoree Arturo Ripstein. Alongside 50-plus guests, Luis Felipe Tovar and Paz Alicia Garciadiego, Ripstein’s lead actor and screenwriter, respectively,will also be in town. The program offers a mini-retrospective of therenowned Mexican director’s work, including his two latest, “Such is Life“and “The Ruination of Men.” “Ripstein is only 57-years-old. Given his age,he has been extremely productive and creative, an inspirational figure inLatin American cinema,” commented festival director Pepe Vargas. “The ideaof this event is to serve the community in showing a unified vision of whatit means to be Latino. Ripstein is one of the best.”

While the recent U.S. Census results might have dictated the “Made inAmerica” programs, categories like “The Jewish Experience” and “CrossCultural Perspective” reveal the festival’s more worldly ambitions. As notedin the catalogue, “[We] bring you some of the best Latino films the globehas to offer.”

Over 15 countries are represented, with 13 American premieres, includingMaria de Madeiros‘ acclaimed “April Captains.” With about a dozenafter-parties scattered around town, the festival’s “Cha-Cha schedule” makesfor an exhausting extension to the daytime activities. The festival runsthrough May 2. [Gabe Klinger]

(indieWIRE/04.20.01) — Vanessa Redgrave and Robert Downey, Jr., have been named the recipients of first Outfest Screen Idol Award, prizes created byLos Angeles’ Gay and Lesbian Film Festival to recognize performances in agay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered role on film or television. Redgraveis being honored for role in HBO‘s “If These Walls Could Talk 2,” whileDowney is being recognized for his role in “Wonder Boys.” The winners weredetermined by balloting online after nominees were chosen by OUTFESTmembership.

“We are thrilled to present the first annual OUTFEST Screen Idol Awards totwo such highly respected, critically admired actors as Vanessa Redgrave andRobert Downey, Jr.,” commented OUTFEST’s Executive Director StephenGutwillig said in a prepared statement. “The overwhelmingly positive publicresponse to the creation of the awards, and the number of people whoparticipated in the voting process, far exceeded our expectations.” Theawards will be presented at a ceremony, with a date and time to beannounced, while OUTFEST 2001 will run July 12 – 23 in Los Angeles.[Eugene Hernandez]